Not to Be Great
by mags1
Summary: where have all the other parts gone! figured out how to use the chapter button. doing my part to reduce clutter, so now it's a chapter fic. Cameron meets Daedalus. wackiness ensues. language and slash! PG-13
1. Default Chapter

Summary: Cameron meets someone unexpected at the Haven.

Rating: PG/PG-13ish for a teense of bad language

Disclaimer: Not mine. I'm not creative. That's okay, cause I don't make money! Aint' it funny how it all works out

Not to be Great

Cameron watched the dancers swirl on the floor across from him. The whriling mob twisted and convulsed like a giant serpent to the back beat. Occasionally, a flash of color or light drew one figure out of the crowd. Then, they faded back into the whole, faceless once more. Off to the side, a pack of Gangrel, in suits for a change, denoted Julian's position. They hadn't moved for the past half hour, the Prince must be busy. With a grunt, he turned away from the brightly lit floor.

Back here, on the far side of the club, it was almost black. If he weren't Kindred, he'd have trouble making out the wine in his glass. He lifted the cup to his lips and let the maroon liquid slid down his throat. At least the drinks were still good. Curiosly, he concentrated on the noises around him. Not many people preferred this section of the club and with good reason. Where the bright lights from the dance floor didn't penetrate to illumine the flaws, the upholstery and tables were worn. Chill air seeped in from the vents high above. Bits of garbage, swept under tables by some lazy waiter flecked the floor. It was in short, a dismal place to be. A few hushed whispers emanted from several booths down. Even further away, he could make out the sounds of SOMEONE, well, two someones, taking advantage of the dark. He could barely surpress the slight grin that sprang to his lips. If Lily only knew what people were doing to her precious leather seats

Aside from that, the tables were empty. He sighed. It was almost depressing. But, he was under no illusions, it was a lot more pleasant than letting the Prince see him here. Ever since he had murdered, no he wouldn't use that word, had killed the Archon, sitting in the same room with Julian had become a lot less pleasant. Cameron didn't particularily feel like the dirty looks or poisoned comments this evening. He was tired.

It felt good just to be able to enjoy a glass of blood without feeling several sets of eyes burning into his spine. He wasn't hiding, he told himself, just taking a break. Up here, he wasn't a Primogen, or a Brujah, or even Kindred. When people raised their heads from the dance floor, all they would see was another faceless lump. 

Down on the main floor the music changed to something even faster, with a heavy back beat. Dancers, Kindred and mortal alike began to gyrate wildly, until he had trouble picking out one face from the masses. As he watched, a twinge of longing pinched his stomach. It would be nice to simply walk down there and join them. He almost stood up before he caught himself. Yes, that was a bloody good idea. The minute he was recognized the whole mess would start again. He snarled to himself. There wasn't even chance of finding a partner. Julian's people hated him and everyone else feared the Prince's wrath. And there was no way in Hell he was dancing with one of his own people. Pleasure and business didn't mix well in a Brujah clan. Besides the only Brujah he could see were some of his thugs. He somehow didn't think that asking one of them for a waltz would go over well.

A slight rustle woke him from his musing. Instinctively, his hand dropped to his coat where he usually kept his gun. The comforting bulk of the holsster was gone, checked at the door. He cursed, looking up to see if the noise was a threat.

Across from him, materialized from nowhere, sat a single shrouded figure. Cameron blinked. How had they gotten past him so easily? Oblivious to his surprise, the figure pushed it's hood down. Two gimlet eyes stared back at Cameron, thin brows raised scornfully. Thick wrinkles of skin covered the entire face, turning it into a grotesque charicature. Delicately pointed ears rose out of the smooth skin of the skull. Cameron started in recognition.

"Daedulus?"

Daedulus nodded, with no change in expression. Cameron fell silent, waitng for some explanation. Daedulus folded his hands on the desk and stared back at him just as patiently. After a few moments of silence, Cameron shrugged and turned back towards the crowd. If Daedulus was here to play head games, he could go screw himself. With any luck, he'd get bored with Cameron's silence and leave. Cameron was in no mood for conversation, especially not with one of Julian's cronies.

"It is a tempting sight, isn't it?" 

Cameron suppressed a groan. Daedulus didn't show any signs of leaving. He turned to look at the Nosferatu. "I guess." He shrugged and turned back to the dancers. "Hadn't given it much thought,"

"You've been staring at them hungrily for the past hour." Daedulus kept his expression carefully blank. 

This time, Cameron didn't bother to turn around. "Yeah well, I was bored," he muttered distractadly, engrossed by the changes on the dance floor. The wild song had ended again, to be replaced by a slow ballad. People were starting to pair off. The ache in his stomach twinged a little harder. It caught him so off guard, that he almost missed the important thing about Daedulus's comment. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why were you watching me?"

"I was bored." The Nosferatu's voice held a hint of mockery. 

"Get a new hobby." Cameron snapped around to glare at him. "I'm not a fucking exhibit." Daedulus met his eyes evenly. The two vampires froze, stares locked. Finally, it was Cameron who dropped his eyes. Desperate to cover his momentary weakness, he spoke up again. "Why'd you come here?"

"Entertainment. Like so many others."

"And Lily doesn't discourage that?"

Daedulus looked away. "Lily cannot be everywhere at once. I come here often. You may not have seen me."

Cameron nodded. "So you hide in the shadows. Lurk like a real vampire. How traditional." He took a swig of his drink. The cup was empty, but he raised it in a mock toast anyway. "Here's to tradition."

Across the table, Daedulus shifted slightly. He was now almost entirely shadowed. In the darkness, Cameron could only see the outline of his features. He felt a slight chill. In the half-light, Daedulus was once again the creature of legend, cold, alien.

"If you wish. Since when has it become traditional for the ever-brash Brujah to avoid conflict? Surely Lily does not discourage your prescence also?" 

Cameron's fist tightened on his cup. "No, a higher authority sees to that." His lip curled. "I'm anathema out there, and you know it." 

"Your own doing." The words were final, like a crypt door slamming shut.

"Maybe." Cameron debated whether to argue or not, but gave it up as a bad job. "Doesn't matter now."

"No," the other vampire's voice softened, "it doesn't." He turned away from Cameron to watch the crowd also.

"Y'know I'd give my fangs to be able to walk out there and not have anyone recognize me" Cameron trailed off aghast at having revealed so much. He was a Primogen, Primogen, especially Brujah Primogen did not share their feelings. To his immense relief, 

Daedulus didn't laugh or grin maliciously. Maybe the other man was plotting, but at least he had the grace not to show it.

"It is hard." Daedulus paused a moment to collect his thoughts, "But, it is the price we pay." 

"We?" Cameron let the disbelief creep into his voice. "I don't think our situations are all that similar." 

"No?" those gimlet eyes bored into his skull. "And do you think, even if you were just another ancilla, that you would ever fit this world completely? You would still be Kindred, still be other."

"It's better than being dead." 

Daedulus nodded. "Yes. I wonder though, sometiems" he stared off dreamily, "if it was worth it."

His tone made Cameron go cold. He set his jaw, trying to dispell his uneasiness. "Talk like that, it'll just argue you into the sun." 

"If I were going to face the daylight" Daedulus shifted, until he faced even further away from Cameron, "I would have done so by now." He propped his head up with one clawed hand. "Though why you should concern yourself with one of Julian's allies"

Cameron whipped around. "I'm not concerned." He made a brutal cutting motion with his hands to emphasize the "not". It came out sounding less decisive than petulant. He sank further into the seat, basking in Daedulus's cool stare. Suddenly, he was very glad that Kindred didn't blush. He gulped and turned away with a scowl. When Daedulus made no reply, the silence prompted him to speak again. "Why are you "concerning" yourself with one of your Prince's enemies?" 

"Julian is not here." The Nosferatu gestured to the darkness around them. "A fact that you surely have noticed." He raised one eyebrow sardonically. 

Cameron examined his mug with narrowed eyes. If it had been anyone else, he would say they were trying to strike a deal. He put the mug down and looked up at his companion. Daedulus had pulled back, letting the shadows slide over his face again. Cameron snorted under his breath. No, not a deal. Daedulus was too far entwined with Julian ever to betray him.

"As long as you're here, I might as well be sitting on his lap." He jabbed one finger at the Prince's table. Not a deal, but quite possibly a trap. If Julian caught him conspiring, the Prince had carte blanche in his choice of punishments. At the very best, Cameron could hope for exile. At the worst he still had the Archon's blood on his hands, he didn't think Julian would hesitate. 

"Such paranoia." 

"Do you expect me to believe that you won't tell him everything we say here tonight?!" Cameron slammed his mug onto the table. He didn't want to play politics tonight. The Prince was everywhere, no matter what he did. He crossed his arms and leaned back against the booth, eyes smoldering. Flecks of gold began to swim in the depths.

"No." Daedulus straightened. He brushed some dust from his cowl. "I do not." One wrinkled hand crept out from under his sleeve to rest under his chin. 

"Get away from me." Cameron fought to keep his voice level. He knew he was misbehaving, but the Brujah anger had risen. It was the best he could do to control it.

"Why?" Daedulus didn't stir, immobile as the booth. Cameron nearly cursed him.

"Listen to me, Nosferatu I have fucking had enough of politics. And fucking spy games. And fucking Julian Luna" he caught himself. He couldn't even insult the Prince. Julian would definetely call him on it. With a breath, he composed himself and tried a different tack. "Why are you here? What mission did HE send you on?"

Daedulus smiled wryly. "You assume that I do only the Prince's bidding." He stared at the middle distance for a second then his eyes snapped back to Cameron. "I don't know why I came. Perhaps I simply felt," his eyes glazed and his voice softened, " lonely." 

Cameron's surprise won over his rage. He hadn't ever thought to attribute normal emotions to Daedulus. In his mind, the Nosferatu was always Julian's shadow, just another intrusion of his prescence. He observed the vampire across from him with new eyes. 

Oblivious to the change, Daedulus whispered on. "Yes lonely But," his voice strengthened and he drew himself up, "I think perhaps you are better left alone, tonight." There was a hint of sadness in his tone, but he flattened it out brutally. His robes rustled as he prepared to stand. 

Without thinking, Cameron reached across the table to grab his arm. Daedulus's brows shot up onto his forehead. Cameron could feel him tensing, prepared to fight or flee. "Don't" he checked himself. "Sit. It's a free country." 

Daedulus held his eyes for one long moment, considering. His face was once again, blank as a mirrior. "Why?"

Cameron swallowed. He'd already taken one risk, why not bet the whole farm? It didn't matter anymore. "Because I'm it's not a night to drink alone." He fought to keep from yanking his hand back. Gritting his teeth, he clamped his mouth shut and waited. Daedulus prolonged the moment, face blank as a mirror. Cameron looked down, unable to meet his darkened eyes.

"You want company?" Daedulus cocked his head. "You show it oddly." 

Cameron winced. He was about to draw back his hand when he noticed a slight twinkle in the Nosferatu's eyes. Daedulus had been joking with him. The other vampire surprised him further by chuckling at his shocked look. As Cameron sat frozen, he reseated himself. 

"Did you just crack a joke?" 

Daedulus's face creased into a grotesque smile as he noted Cameron's look of horror. "I generally refrain. It takes people badly." He observed Cameron's unmoving form for a moment. "You should blink. You look like a landed fish." 

Cameron gaped and then shut his mouth with a snap. Daedulus took advantage of his distraction to reseat himself. By the time the Brujah Primogen had recovered fully, he had composed himself in the exact same position as before. His hands were clasped in his lap, and he was once again as still as the furntiture. They sat together in silence and Cameron went back to watching the floor. After a few moments, he became conscious of pressure on the back of his neck. As he turned back around, he met Daedulus's fascinated stare straight on. Cameron rolled his eyes.

"If you want company, you've gotta drop the gargoyle-shit." He kept his voice amicable, but there was a discernable edge beneath the friendliness.

"It is polite to focus on your companions."

Cameron searched the Daedulus for a hint of rebuke, or amusement. It retained it's masklike blankness under his scrutiny. The Nosferatu had one hell of a poker face. Finally, he shrugged and took a stab in the dark. "Maybe. But I'm beginning to feel like I should do a little jig, or throw some stool or something."

To his surprise, Daedulus smiled again. The effect did not become less disturbing with repetition. "Then I would be even more tempted to watch you. If only to dodge the projectiles." 

Exasperated, Cameron rubbed his temples. "You're really enjoying yourself, aren't you?" 

Daedulus might have replied, but he didn't catch it. Down below, he could hear the last song of the set. It was slow, and sweet. The singer closed his eyes as he crooned into the microphone. People swirled together slowly. The night was growing old and even the most strenuous of dancers was tired. Most had either retired to booths for coffee, or left the club entirely. Under the swish of clothing, Cameron heard the slight stamp of one of the waiters ascending the stairs. The dawn must be coming. Lily always sent up someone to clean out the upper balcony prior to closing. 

He sighed and looked over at Daedulus. The other vampire had his head cocked, listening to the footsteps in a parody of a spaniel. Cameron coughed slightly to get his attention. 

"Looks like the party's over." He fished a bill out of his wallet for tip.

"It would appear so." Daedulus settled his robes back over his hands. He reached back to raise his hood over his head and paused, yellow eyes boring into Cameron's brown ones. "It has been interesting."

"That's the word alright." Cameron grinned despite himself and prepared to stand. 

Daedulus's brow creased, wrinkles caving in on themselves. He reached out and placed his hand on Cameron's shoulder. Cameron started, unprepared for the sudden contact. He tensed, but didn't pull away. The Nosferatu's touch was strangely comforting. Daedulus tapped him slightly. "No. Better than that. It has been pl" A crack interrupted him as the waiter entered the balcony. 

Both Cameron and Daedulus turned towards the noise. The waiter clonked their way closer to the table, rousting others out of their boothes as they went. Cameron nodded in recognition and moved back towards Daedulus.

"Yeah. I guess it was" He looked up into the empty air. There was nothing but a lingering sensitivity where Daedulus's hand had been. The Nosferatu was really and truly gone. Cameron squinted, trying to catch a glimpse of him in the shadows. Something flicked briefly by the exit, and then it was gone. He sighed. 

A polite cough sounded behind his shoulder. He turned around and found himself looking a mousy little mortal in the eye. She brushed her hair out of her face and pasted a smile on her tired face.

"I'm sorry, sir. We're closing. You'll have to leave." 

Cameron nodded with preoccupation. His ears strained to hear Daedulus leaving, but all he could pick up was the sound of her breathing.

"Sir?" The waitress poked him with one enamelled nail. "Sir!"

Cameron blinked. "Wha- oh." He shook himself and faced the waitress fully. "Sorry. I must be tired." He gave her his best wasted-mortal smile. She nodded slightly.

"Know what you mean. I'm ready to go home too." She emphasized home with a jab of her finger. Cameron inclined his head and headed for the stairs. "Wait!" 

He whipped around at the sound of her voice. "Yes?"

"Did you I mean was there" she swallowed, "was there another person here, a few minutes ago? Bald maybe? Kinda old?"

Cameron shook his head. "You must be more tired than you thought. There was no one here." He smiled ruefully. "I was all alone." 

Finis 


	2. Not to be Wise

Not to be Wise

Author's Note: Sequel to "Not to be Great". Those readers who are sharp little doobies (and who listen to too much alt-rock), will realize that the titles in this series come from a song. I don't know which song. Rather, I don't know the title. Or the artist. Or most of the words. But I can hum the chorus really good. Anybody who happens to know this pertinent information can feel free to send it to me, so's I can cite the lyrics.

Summary: Cameron has a fight with Julian. (duh.)

Rating: PG/PG-13, because, hey, they're KINDRED, and language

Disclaimer: I own the music, but not the dancing monkeys. (except for random security-dude. He's mine)

Cameron was panting by the time he reached the Haven. He vaulted up the steps, and shoved past Lily's bouncer, into the club. Once inside, he paused a moment to catch his breath. As he leaned heaving against the doorjamb, he carefully took stock of the scene. The music, usually so loud that it was almost an entity, had stopped because the band was massed, with the rest of the patrons, in one corner of the dance floor. From inside the semi-circle of humans and vampires, he could make out a strain of muffled curses punctuated by sharp thumps. 

It didn't take much imagination to figure out was going on behind the shield of bodies. Lily's staff come to the same conclusion as Cameron. Three large vampires in the informal Haven security uniform of black jeans and t-shirts were even now trying to push through the crowd. Their efforts, so far, had been repulsed by the sheer number of people. Cameron ran his hand through his hair tiredly and pushed off of his resting-place. 

As he hurried across the dance floor, the strength of the curses weakened rapidly. He reached the crowd just as one of the security guards, a mountianous young Toreador, broke through the wall of bodies. He followed the hulking vampire through the disgruntled breach before it could fill in again. The scene that greeted him on the other side was just as he expected. In the very center of the clear space, two figures writhed in a tangle of limbs. The smaller figure was busily smashing its opponent's head into the golden wood of Lily's dance floor. In between thuds, the larger fighter cursed in a blistering stream. 

The security guard drifted towards the entangled bodies with the quiet menace of an approaching continent. Cameron reached out and tapped his shoulder. The man turned, a look of annoyance on his boyish features. The Brujah Primogen raised one eyebrow. Recognition slowly dawned across the guard's face. He stepped aside with a little smile of relief. The man on the floor was a Ventrue, and Cameron winced, one of the higher up ones at that. This had the potential to become a very sticky situation. The guard ushered Cameron forward, courteously, happy to be relieved of his burden. Cameron strode past him, eyes narrowed. 

Before him, the smaller fighter had noticed a slight change in the atmosphere. He raised his head, peering up at Cameron through disheveled orange hair. The shock of seeing the Brujah Primogen distracted him enough that he left off bashing his opponent's head into the ground. Cameron coughed. A glimmer of rueful smile twitched beneath the smaller figure's wild bangs. He rose nonchalantly from his perch atop the larger man. When his opponent tried to rise to his knees, one booted foot shot out to catch him in the ribs. The large man sank to the ground again. Cameron suppressed the urge to groan.

"WHAT the hell do you think you're doing?" He glared pointedly at the still-cursing lump between them.

The orange-haired man swiped his hair out of his face. Exposed to the light, his pale skin was covered with purpling bruises and blood. He reached up, probing the damage with long fingered hands. They paused briefly to shove a loose tooth back into its socket. 

Cameron crossed his arms over his chest. "I asked you a question, Mikey."

Mikey smiled back innocently. "We were having a discussion." His sharp green eyes flicked down to where his opponent lay, then back up to Cameron. He shrugged and tilted his head, as if he too wondered how the body had gotten there. "I was emphasizing my point."

"So I see." Cameron poked at the larger man with his boot. He twitched slightly and went back to moaning. At least the poor sot wasn't dead. "And you felt you had to do it percussively?"

"He has a hard head." 

Cameron bit back his retort. It was no use arguing with Mikey. One of the youngest Brujah, he still believed the Embrace made him invulnerable. This wasn't the first time Cameron had been called to remove him from a fight. He settled for a warning growl. The impudent light did not fade from the younger vampire's eyes. If anything, his wolfish grin widened.

Around them, the crowd was beginning to rustle. People, mostly the vampires, turned halfway to watch something outside the circle. Cameron swallowed down an obscenity. Julian must finally be making his stately progress over. He looked across the clearing at Mikey, who was beginning to prod the fallen man lightly in the ribs. Each prod elicited another whimper. Cameron stepped daintily over the body and grabbed Mikey's arm, effectively yanking him away from his victim. As he goose-marched the shorter man to the edge of the crowd nearest the door, he whispered savagely in his ear. "Get going. I'll deal with you later." He emphasized "later" with a shake.

Mikey opened his mouth to argue, but Cameron's expression stopped him cold. The Brujah Primogen's eyes were glowing bright red. Mikey's mouth shut with a snap and he turned to push past the spectators towards the door.

"Stop." The command vibrated from behind them with undeniable authority. Both Cameron and Mikey froze. Cameron's jaw clenched. He was too late. Prince Julian had already made it through the crowd. With a sick feeling of dread roiling in his stomach, he turned around, dragging Mikey with him.

Julian, flanked by two of his Gangrel bodyguards, was waiting with his hands shoved in his pockets. His dark eyes were narrowed. Anger had thinned his lips into two nearly invisible lines.

"Cameron?" 

"Luna?" Cameron had to grit his teeth to get the words out.

"Is this your man?" Julian pointed one callused finger towards Mikey, who had stopped grinning, at least.

"Yes, he," Cameron's fingers tightened on Mikey's shoulder to silence him prematurely, "is." 

Julian's face remained impassive. "And why, exactly, did he attack one of my people?"

Cameron's knuckles whitened as Mikey began to struggle. He had no idea what the younger Brujah wanted to say, but he could bet that it wasn't going to be helpful. 

"I'm not" he dug his fingers harder into the soft flesh of Mikey's shoulder, "entirely sure what happened. But I'm sure," he glared at the younger Brujah, whose own eyes were glowing now, "that there's a REASONABLE explanation." 

The man on the ground let out a particularly loud groan. One of Julian's cronies stepped forward and knelt down beside him. A brief look of concentration creased her features as she examined him. Satisfied that he wasn't in any danger of dying in the next five minutes, she returned to her place at the Prince's side. Julian's lips had narrowed further. "I would very much like to hear it." 

Mikey chose that moment to break for freedom. His sudden push forward took Cameron off gaurd. Before he could stop him, the youngster had shoved past him to face Julian.

"Look man I didn't start this thing. Your guy was sittin' here bein' an asshole I just happened to point itmmph." Mikey bit at the hand of his Primogen clamping his mouth shut. Cameron spun him around, oblivious to Julian for the moment.

"Mikey." He kept his voice low by a supreme effort of will. "Go." He gestured at the door. Mikey remained where he was. "NOW!" The fire in his Primogen's voice finally cut through Mikey's defiance, and he scuttled for the doorway sulkily. As soon as the youngster had passed safely to the threshold, Cameron turned back to Julian.

"You have my apologies, Prince. He will be dealt with." Cameron's mouth strained into a smile. Mikey was in for it once he got back to the Brujah headquarters. Not, given the look on Julian's face, that Cameron would be back there ANY time soon.

"You should be able to control your people better." 

Cameron continued to smile, but his eyebrow was starting to twitch. "He'll listen next time. Believe me." The last bit came out strangled.

"I'm sure you will do everything in your power to make it so." A small smirk appeared on Julian's face. "But I would like to make sure there are no repeats of this incident." His voice remained pleasant, but Cameron could see the veins of his throat popping out with tensiion. Flecks of golden fire began to coalesce in the depths of his eyes. "In light of that, perhaps my people would be better equipped to handle his punishment. I would hate for it to be too _lenient._"

Cameron went cold. If Julian's people, whose comrade had taken the beating, disciplined Mikey, hell knew what they'd do. Something unpleasant at the very least, and at the worst Cameron swallowed. He knew Mikey had probably definitely, started the fight, but he was still young. He didn't know if the kid could take a few hours in the sun. 

"You don't haveta trouble yourself. Julian." He spat the last word out.

"Ensuring tranquility in this city is no trouble, Ian." Julian smiled courteously. "We will discuss this in more detail later." He turned on his heel, preparing to return to his table. Cameron stared blankly at his retreating back. Something deep inside him snapped.

"No." It was out before he could choke it down. The rage, curse of the Brujah, surged through his body, released by that one simple denial. 

Julian whirled around, mouth twisting in anger before he reschooled his features. "Excuse me?"

"I said 'No'." Cameron crossed his arms over his chest. "He's my guy. My responsibility. No discussion." He glared at Julian defiantly. 

Julian's eyes narrowed. "I am well aware of his status, Cameron. But, in this case, I feel you may be a bit biased. I would see justice done."

Cameron stepped forward. His fists were up before he was aware of the movement. "Justice?" He laughed bitterly. "As if he would ever see 'justice' under your hand?!" He reached forward, about to grab Julian's shirt. Only a growl from the female bodyguard made him draw back. "We both know what kind of justice you deal, Prince Julian," he whispered as he stepped away.

Julian's face reddened. Tiny slivers of fang peeked out from underneath his aristocratic upper lip. He closed with Cameron, until they were face to face once more. "One of my people lies half dead on the floor. I will not allow his suffering to go unpunished."

"Yeah I'll bet," Cameron muttered under his breath. He leaned in. "And d'ya think I'm gonna let one of my guys play the sacrificial lamb, just because he roughed up some stuck-up barfly?"

Julian stepped back. His face had turned as blank as the walls. "Remember your place, Cameron. It remains the same." His voice had become softer, almost kindly. "Do you wish to contest that fact?"

Cameron glared back at him. He was tempted, oh so tempted, to say yes. To step forward and smack that smug Ventrue bastard right across the face. Except that Julian had bodyguards here. Except that even if Cameron won the fight, the other Primogen wouldn't accept him as Prince. Not yet. And with Julian as Prince, his people needed him. Alive. With a wrench of will, he forced his hands back down to his sides. 

"No. You are", a bastard, he thought to himself, and a murderer, and you have a bloody stick up your ass, "the boss." He growled it out.

"Good." Julian smiled coldly. "I will collect him at the end of the week." He stretched out his right hand.

Cameron's blood boiled. He knew what was expected of him. Choking down bile, he bowed his head and kissed the top of Julian's hand. The Prince's smile grew as he drew back. Cameron stood there, watching him leave, with the blood pounding in his temples. The spectators, silent before, burst into a cloud of whispers. They watched him out of the corners of their eyes, or behind a shielding hand. He ignored them.

The crowd parted as Julian left the circle. From there, the disintegration spread as the spectators separated off into their groups, back to the tables, or the bar, or in the case of a few prudent individuals, the door. Cameron remained rooted to his spot on the dance floor until he was utterly alone. A few minutes passed. His vision cleared. The rage that had been pounding through his system rapidly dissipated, leaving him very tired. He stole one last look at Julian, sitting at his table and laughing with Lily as though nothing had happened, and snarled. Then he wrapped his tattered dignity around him and strode silently out the door.

Walking with vampiric speed, it didn't take him long to reach the bay. He kicked his shoes off into the water and began to pace up and down the damp sand. The wind blowing in off the water was chill. In the back of his head, he cursed. He spared no one in his tirade, moving from Mikey, to Julian, to himself, to Lily, to the Club and beyond. Above him, the sky was overcast, promising rain. He was still walking up and down the shoreline when the first droplets began to fall several hours later. At first, he didn't even notice. Only when his suit jacket began to squelch, did he realize that he was soaked.

He paused for a moment to take stock of his surroundings. The rain was really coming down now. Sheets of it fell from the sky, blurring the landscape even to his vampiric vision. Dimly, he could make out a few palm trees up on the plaza, and tiniest glimmer of light from where the hotels rose above the dunes. Everything else was sheathed in a gray mist. He continued to plod forward, short cropped hair dangling into his eyes. 

After awhile, he noticed another shape in the darkness. It too was gray, but darker than the rain. And it was following him. Cameron stopped experimentally. The figure stopped too. He stepped forward. His shadow followed him. Spooked, he ran a few steps. The figure followed him sedately, still walking. The Brujah Primogen swore. He didn't want company. Especially not company that skulked around in the shadows, playing games with him. There had been enough games for one night.

Without ceremony, he drew his gun and pointed it straight at the blurry shape. "Who are you?" There was no answer. He cocked the trigger. "Why are you following me?" The shape began to move forward. Cameron watched it tensely, ready to fire if things turned ugly. When the figure had come within a yard of him, it stopped.

Cameron could just make out a shapeless piece of cloth through the rain. It was dark gray, and stained with years of use. The figure threw back its hood, to reveal a face paler than that of any mortal. Cameron squinted trying to identify the vampire. The rain cloaked its features well, blurring them almost to nonexistence. 

They stared at each other for awhile. Cameron contemplated the figure and then, on a whim, holstered his gun. It was already damp, he reasoned, no reason to let it rust. 

"Why are you here Daedulus?" 

The figure grinned. Cameron could see its fangs glinting in between the rain drops. "One day, I think, you will shoot me by accident." Daedulus's voice was quiet, and, characteristically, held no signs of humor. Cameron wasn't fooled.

Annoyed, he caressed the butt of his gun. "If I shoot you, it won't be an accident."

Daedulus shrugged and sidled forward until he was right next to Cameron. Cameron gritted his teeth. Daedulus did have a knack of showing up at the worst possible times. As the silence between them grew, he had to clench his jaw to keep from snarling. Daedulus watched him patiently. They could be here all evening, until the Nosferatu got what he wanted. Cameron decided to expedite the process.

"So whaddya want?" He tried to keep the tension out of his voice and failed miserably. 

Daedulus fixed him with glowing eyes. "Do you intend to challenge Julian over this?"

"What?!" Cameron rolled his eyes heavenward and was rewarded by the sheet of water that battered his exposed eyeballs. Blinking furiously, he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Doesn't anything stay secret from you Nossies?" 

"In this case, I would not say it requires much guile to learn about your incident in the Haven." He raised an eyebrow. "You were hardly subtle. Even for a Brujah." 

"Look, if you just came to exchange slurs"

"I did not start it." The Nosferatu's voice took on a slightly huffy tone. He sounded so much like a small child that Cameron had to wonder if he was going to stick his tongue. To his disappointment, Daedulus regained his composure. "I came merely to ask a question."

"Yeah. And you've asked. Now shoo." Cameron turned away pointedly. He didn't even want to think about what happened in the Haven, much less pussyfoot about it with Daedulus. The repercussions were still bouncing around inside his head. His life was going to be very unpleasant in the next few weeks, and all because he lost control. He bowed his head, feeling old. When he raised it again, Daedulus was still there, unmoving.

"You're not going to go away until I answer, are you?" Cameron faced the Nosferatu resignedly. He was met with silence. The Brujah Primogen paused for a moment, trying to decide what to say. The truth was, he didn't know what he was going to do. He didn't WANT to fight Julian, homicidal impulses aside, but he wasn't just to bend over backwards for the Prince either. His temples throbbed. Finally, he slumped in defeat. "I don't know." 

"You want to hurt him." It wasn't even a question. 

"That's no secret." Cameron smiled angrily. He'd had many a pleasant daydream where the Prince's blood, and other viscera, slipped through his fingers.

Daedulus turned away from him. "You will try someday." There was a catch to his voice, silenced brutally, almost before it could surface.

It was Cameron's turn to watch the other Kindred intently. "Probably." He shrugged. "Sonuvabitch deserves it." Glimmers of his earlier anger danced at the edge of his vision. He pushed them aside, focusing on Daedulus's reaction.

The Nosferatu stiffened in response to his reply. "Hurting Julian," Daedulus's voice deepened. Something crawled beneath his words. The undercurrent reminded Cameron of things long dead, squirming under the sand. " would be inadvisable." His words snaked their way through Cameron's soul, leaving ice in their wake.

"Watcha gonna do?" Cameron watched him scornfully. "You gonna take me out?" To his shame, the words fell from his mouth too quickly.

Daedulus rose up before him, a pillar of marble against the dull rain. He surged forward. Cameron yelped and skittered back, tripping on a pile of sand as he went. The wet earth was an unpleasant shock to his backside, soaked though it was. Droplets of cold water dripped from his hair onto his nose. He swiped at his bangs impatiently. His eyes trailed up to look at Daedulus, rising above him like a monster of old. The rain only served to distance him further from Cameron, wrapping him layers of inhuman gray. 

Cameron took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his slow, slow heartbeat. Anything to block out the alien figure before him. When the adrenaline had stopped seething through his veins, he dared to crack one eyelid. Daedulus remained frozen. The Brujah gasped in another breath to steady himself and resolutely opened the other eye. Watching Daedulus carefully, he propped himself up on his elbows.

"It's gonna take more than you to kill me." The firmness of his words belied the fear still pulsing behind his eyes. 

Above him Daedulus smiled. It held, grotesquely, a child like charm. "I'm sure." He studied his claws. "But there are worse things than death." 

His voice was still low, but it grew more mechanical as he spoke. Cameron felt a twinge of loss. All the emotion had banished itself from his voice. He found himself searching Daedulus's eyes for even a glint of humor. The pupils had turned to drowning deep black pools. No light escaped from under the Nosferatu's wrinkled brows. Cameron gave up.

"I get it. Tell Julian," he spat in the sand, "that next time he should deliver his threats in person." 

"Julian did not send me."

"Right. He never sends you. You're your own person. You just step and fetch for a hobby." He sneered up at the Nosferatu.

Daedulus bent down until one knee ground into the sand by Cameron's side. Even closer in, his face retained no trace of humanity.

"What I do is my business. It is more honorable than pouting in the rain like a child."

"I'm not pouting!" Cameron's sat up and used his hands to wipe a telltale trail of liquid dripping from his nose. He noticed that they were encrusted in mud. All of him, in fact, was encrusted in mud. He looked back up at Daedulus, who still smacked of the classic monster. The rain still pounded down on both of them. Further back, the barely visible palm trees snaked back and forth wildly in the freezing wind.

The whole thing was absurd. He threw back his head, laughing hysterically. The barks exploded from his throat until he was almost crying. Daedulus observed him impassively, neither moving, nor commenting. Cameron pounded the shore with his fist, sending dirt spraying up on both of them. The splotches of mud on Daedulus's white skin sent him off into further paroxysms. 

He laughed until his entire body shook. Finally, the manic energy drained from his limbs and he collapsed abruptly back into the mud. He lay there, on his back, grinning up at Daedulus like a mad man. The Nosferatu's lip curled in scorn. Cameron reached up with one grubby hand and wiped a swatch of dark earth across his disapproving features. Daedulus reared back in shock, but Cameron didn't mind. The whole thing was a shambles anyway.

Suddenly, the world became a much clearer place. Cameron rose back up into a sitting position.

"I don't fucking care who the Prince is. I'm not giving up one of my people." Another brutal grin slashed across his face. "You tell Julian that." He rose onto his knees and, from there, sprung up onto his feet.

Daedulus's face shut down. He rose slowly from where he had been kneeling. The cowl fell down around his face, and he turned away. Cameron watched in bemused detachment.

"You will be your own downfall." Daedulus whispered the words, almost to himself. Cameron had to strain to pick them up over the storm.

Cameron shrugged. "Eh." He faced the bay, squinting out over the water. Trails of muddy water ran down his face. "Maybe. But," he gestured out over the bay, "maybe someday all this will be mine."

Daedulus stilled for a second and then shook his becowled head. "You are a fool." He seemed to be chastising himself as much as Cameron. 

"Yeah. But I'm still not giving up." He turned away from the Nosferatu, heading for the boardwalk. "You tell Julian that." 

"This will be the death of you." 

Cameron shrugged and kept walking. When he reached the pavement, he stepped out onto the street. If he started now, he'd be home well before daybreak. With squelching steps, he plodded down the asphalt, towards the Brujah head quarters. Behind him, he could almost hear a whisper of cloth, as though Daedulus were following him. He pushed away the niggling urge to turn around. Suddenly, the road ahead looked very dark. He swallowed some moist air, and kept moving. After several blocks, the sensation of being followed faded. Cameron was alone once more.

Finis.


	3. Chained to Fate

Author's Note: Part Three inna Series. First two parts are "Not to be Wise", and "Not to be Great." This puppy's a four-parter, since eventually I'm going to run out of song lyrics to steal titles from.

Disclaimer: No, they're not my characters. No, it's not my world. It's all stolen. (sob bad Ricki bad) Except for Mikey. For better or for worse, Mikey's mine. Do you want him?

Rating: PG-13 mostly for language

Summary: Julian and Cameron have a disagreement and Daedalus has to choose sides.

Chained to Fate

Cameron burst into the Council room, eyes glowing. The slam of the heavy wooden doors stunned the rest of the room into stillness. He stood there with his arms crossed over his chest, staring out over the occupants. Lily watched him with morbid curiosity, waiting eagerly for his imminent explosion. Daedalus, partially obscured by the Toreador, stared at Cameron for a second, and then turned away quickly. Across from him, Cash was already on his feet, face stormy. Cameron ignored the incensed Gangrel. All his attention was on Julian, who sat at the head of the table, steepling his fingers nonchalantly.

With stiff, measured steps, Cameron made his way over to the table, until he was directly across from the Prince. Slowly, he bent down, placing both hands on the aged wood. Standing, he loomed over Julian. The Ventrue did not seem particularly bothered by the discrepancy in their heights. He looked steadily up at Cameron, raising one dignified eyebrow.

The Prince's seeming calm goaded Cameron further. The Brujah's hands tightened on the wood, leaving little furrows where his nails scraped at the finish. "You bastard!" He wasn't yelling. Yet. Rage vibrated through his growl.

Julian didn't bat an eyelash. Off to his right side, Cash gave a strangled grunt. "Don't you talk to him that way you piece of" he was cut off by a negligent wave from Julian's hand. The Gangrel sat back down, grumbling unhappily. Cameron didn't even spare him a glance. His eyes bored holes into the Prince's head as he waited for a response. 

Julian shifted slightly and placed his hands in his lap. "You have a grievance, Primogen Cameron?" 

"Damn straight I have a 'grievance'", Cameron snarled. "I come back from a business meeting and find," he pushed off the table and started to pace back and forth in little spurts, "that your bully boys have been in MY territory. Unannounced. Uninvited." He stopped pacing and slammed his hands on the table again. "And that you have taken one of my people! Without my knowledge, OR consent!" He put all of his weight on his wrists, heaving with emotion.

Julian regarded him with a patient smile, drawing out the silence after his outburst. He waited until Cameron was about to burst into another harangue and then cleared his throat. His voice was calm, but flecks of fire were starting to dance in his eyes. "I sent my men in to collect him for trail. As is my duty as Prince." He studied his fingernails. "You were unavailable."

"Bull! You waited until I was out" Cameron cast around the circle of faces staring up at him. He KNEW Julian had planned the whole fiasco, but he couldn't prove it. With an incoherent growl, he shut his mouth and walked over to his seat. He yanked the chair out savagely and collapsed into it. Thus settled, he crossed his arms over his chest. "I still should have been notified."

"I believe you were left a notice." 

Cameron didn't bother to dignify that with a response. He'd found the post-it on his desk after twenty minutes of interrogating his traumatized staff. Half of them were ready to flee the city, fearing retribution from the Prince, and the other half had been arming up. Cameron didn't really appreciate either reaction. The terrified ones had to be calmed and coddled and the angry ones had to be disarmed. No one should have to disarm fifty enraged Brujah, not even their Primogen.

"What's this about, Julian?" Lily tapped her lips with one perfectly manicured nail. "Cameron seems to know," she gestured to the spluttering Brujah, "but the rest of us are rather in the dark. If you would be so good as to enlighten us?" Her eyes narrowed with impatience. 

Julian smiled at her graciously. "Of course. Despite Cameron's reaction," a strangled sound came from the Brujah's section of the table, "it really is a small matter."

"I'm sure it is." Lily smiled with sugared acidity. She didn't know what was going on, but the air reeked of yet another power play. It was Friday night. She had better things to be doing on a Friday night, no matter how amusing it was to watch Cameron go purple. "Do go on."

"I merely removed one of Cameron's people from his compound for tribunal." Julian shrugged. 

"And?" Lily let a little of her impatience bleed into her voice. She had decided to treat this like a boil. Lance it before it festers, or worse, goes under the skin, otherwise they'd all be stuck here until kingdom come. 

"Primogen Cameron objects to my methods" Julian cocked his head at the Brujah questioningly.

Cameron took a deep breath to steady himself. The exhaled air caught in his throat. To his relief, his voice was steady as he replied. "This should have gone before the council before any action was taken. My Prince." He let scorn drip off of the title. 

Julian smiled. Cameron felt a chill go up his spine. "Of course." The Prince folded his hands. "And since you seem so impatient let us proceed." He turned away from Cameron to address the whole table. "Earlier in the week, a Brujah neonate attacked one of my officials. He sustained serious damage. And the fight drew undue attention to the Kindred community as a whole." Julian's eyes narrowed. "In light of such unprovoked violence, I believe the young one should be exiled from the city, before he can cause further disturbance." 

Cameron hissed. There was no way Mikey could survive on his own outside of the city. Even if Julian's people didn't follow him and finish him off outside the lines, he had nowhere to go. Mikey was a city-boy, life in one of the free-Brujah enclaves would not agree with him. He could go to LA, maybe, where Cyrus would eat him alive. "The fight wasn't _unprovoked."_ He ground his teeth. "Even Mikey's not that idiotic. And the punishment," he rose to his feet without thinking, "is too extreme. It's ludicrous. We're talking about a fucking bar brawl here. They're practically nightly entertainment at the Haven." He ignored the dirty look that Lily shot him and rose to his feet. "Face it, Luna. If it hadn't been one a your cronies, you wouldn't even sully your hands." He leaned forward, knuckles whitening. "This is just an excuse to" 

"Primogen Cameron!" Julian's barked command left no room for questions. A snarl flashed across his face like a gash on a marble statue. "This is unnecessary."

"You got that right," Cameron mumbled under his breath as he sat down, eyes never leaving Julian's throat. It would be so satisfying just to reach over and give it a good yank. The bastard wouldn't even know what hit him. Cameron swallowed, but kept his hands in his lap. 

"The case has been presented before the council. Unless someone feels the need to add something," he cast Cameron a significant look, "I put it up for the vote." Julian uncrossed his hands. "I vote for exile." He turned to Cash, seated at his right. The Gangrel shrugged.

"Exile." Cameron had been expecting that. The "victim" was as much a part of Cash's staff as Julian's. And the Gangrel hated all Brujah, Cameron specifically. There was going to be no sympathy from that quarter. 

He was next. All eyes swung to him. "Against." His answer was succinct. Truthfully, he didn't trust himself to add anything to that. On a whim, he added, "And I should be allowed to punish him myself." That added insult to injury, but it didn't matter. The odds were stacked against him already; he could see that now. Cash, Julian: that was two votes. Who knew which way Lily would go? He had long since given up trying to second-guess her. As for Daedalus, his eyes flicked over to the Nosferatu, seated to the left of the Prince. His face was still hidden in the shadows. A brief twinge hit Cameron. Daedalus would probably vote with Julian. He looked away. 

Next to him, Lily was grinning maliciously. She was actually beginning to enjoy herself. Quite frankly, she could care less about one more Brujah badass. It would be easier simply to agree with Julian and send the boy away. But, she smiled, with Cameron staring so intently across her at Daedalus, where was the fun in that? If she had to endure this, it might as well be interesting. "I'm with Primogen Cameron." She met Julian's surprised glance sweetly. His lips twitched, words fighting to make their way out. She nodded slightly to acknowledge his attention and then looked away, ignoring him in favor of the scene about to be played out.

Everyone's gaze had shifted to the Nosferatu seated next to her. His verdict had become the deciding vote. Daedalus remained perfectly still. Julian watched him with smug assurance. Cash had the same look, although little flickers of doubt danced in his eyes. Daedalus had been acting oddly, lately. Lily took it all in with a self-satisfied smirk, secure in the knowledge that had just caused a bit of tension. Cameron's observation was a series of little bursts. His eyes flicked from Daedalus to Julian to the table, to his clenched hands and back.

The Nosferatu let the silence continue for a second longer. Then, he leaned forward, out of the shadows. Above him the overhead lights made his face glow. There was a look of intense concentration hidden beneath the wrinkles of his brows. It swung intently from Cameron to Julian and back. Finally, he sucked in a deep breath.

"I vote" he hesitated, voice fading away. After a moment, he sighed. "I vote against." The words fell from his lips in a little rush of air, almost inaudible. "But", his voice gained in strength, "the Childe should be imprisoned." 

Shocked silence descended on the room. Daedalus melted back into the shadows over his chair. Cameron blinked at him in shock. His expression was mirrored on Julian's face. Unlike Cameron, though, the Prince's surprise was quickly turning to anger. His hands clawed and his mouth twisted. Sparks of gold flickered from the depths of his dark eyes. 

"Are you sure, Primogen Daedalus?" His voice was tight beneath its civilized veneer.

Daedalus leaned forward once more. He met Julian's glare without a trace of emotion. "I have made my decision." Cameron strained to see the Nosferatu's expression, but Daedalus had turned his back to him. He faced the Prince straight on. "The vote is with Primogen Cameron."

Julian nodded curtly. He shot Daedalus a look dripping with scorn, then, deliberately, turned away. Professional once more, he addressed the rest of the circle. "Then the matter is laid to rest. You," he pointed an accusatory finger at Cameron, "may collect your neonate after the meeting." 

Cameron nearly didn't hear him. He was too busy staring at Daedalus with a poleaxed expression. The Nosferatu's face, what he could see of it anyway, was as inscrutable as always. It was as if the past five minutes had never even occurred. Daedalus did nothing to acknowledge his attention. Eventually, Cameron gave up and returned his attention. From time to time, throughout the rest of the evening he stole glances at the Nosferatu. Daedulus's expression never changed. Finally Julian called the meeting to a close, still in a foul mood. 

As soon as he possibly could, he rose to his feet. He needed to talk to Daedalus, and the Nosferatu had an annoying habit of disappearing at inconvenient times. In fact, he was already heading for the door. Cameron shoved past Cash in an effort to reach him. The Gangrel gave a grunt of protest, but Cameron was too intent on his goal to notice. As he rushed through the heavy wooden doors of the council room, he could just glimpse the edge of Daedulus's cape rounding the corner. He chased after it, sacrificing his dignity in the last few steps to run. 

As he entered into the new hallway, he could see the familiar black shape fleeing towards a door at the end. Cameron cursed under his breath and picked up the pace. Daedalus whipped around at the sound of his footsteps. His hood fell, and for a brief second, his skin glowed under the overhead lights. Then he reached back and flipped it up, until only his shining eyes were visible. Cameron watched him, panting. 

The Nosferatu turned slowly to look at the door in front of him. He turned just as ponderously back to Cameron, indecisive. Finally, his hand fell off the doorknob and he turned around fully to face the Brujah. Cameron half-grinned and walked over to him. Trust his sense of propriety to get Daedalus every time. You don't just run away from someone who wants to confront you. Especially another Primogen. 

When he reached Daedalus, he shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall. 

To his surprise, Daedalus was the first to speak.

"Can I help you, Primogen?" His tone was distant and formal. 

"I think you already did." Cameron cocked his head sardonically. "I'm just wondering why."

Daedalus studied him for a moment, yellow eyes probing Cameron's brown ones. "I deemed the punishment unjust." He broke the look. "And I invoked my power as Primogen. Surely that is not so difficult to comprehend." His voice trailed off into a mutter.

"Yeah. I just didn't expect you to go against Julian on this"

"Unlikely though it may seen, I do have a mind independent of the Prince's. Sometimes, indeed, I am capable of forming my own opinions." Cameron started, taken aback by the unexpected heat of his response. Even more surprising, he felt answering annoyance rising in his veins.

"Maybe. But this ain't the first "injustice" you've seen either." He didn't need to add, And you let the other ones slide real easy. 

"My choices are my own. I choose to support my Prince." 

Cameron shoved off the wall. He scooted forward, until he was nearly touching the other vampire. "But it doesn't haveta be that way." He spread his hands. "You don't have to do things Julian's way." 

"What way would you have me do them?" Daedalus pushed his hood down, so that he could meet Cameron's face full on. "Perhaps I should do them the Brujah way? Perhaps I should do them YOUR way." 

Cameron grinned bitterly. "Damn sight better than doin' 'em the Prince's way." 

Daedulus's eyes narrowed. For the first time, Cameron saw anger tightening the wrinkles at the corners. "You honestly believe that, don't you? You believe!" He gave a bitter laugh. 

Cameron was secretly taken aback at his scornful tone. His reply was defensive, as well as angry. "Because it's true. Even YOU can see that."

"No, Primogen Cameron," Daedalus closed the distance between them until he was staring straight into the Brujah's eyes, "I can't." He looked down. "Julian is not perfect. He may be Kindred, but he is human in every way that counts." His eyes rose to fix back on Cameron's face. "He may even make certain mistakes. Sometimes he rules badly. But he still RULES." His eyes blazed.

"Not for much longer." Cameron regretted it the minute the words popped out of his mouth. If Daedalus repeated them to Julian, he was in deep kim chee. Still, he managed to hold Daedulus's gaze, even as he cursed himself. Before his eyes, Daedulus's fangs dropped from under his lip. Without warning, he surged forward and grabbed Cameron's throat. The Brujah was so stunned that he made no move to avoid his attacker.

"So you want to kill Julian? Complete your vengeance? Take the City?" Daedalus threw back his head and gave another bark of laughter. Sarcasm dripped from his voice. "And, of course, Cash would offer no objection for a slain master. Lily would not revenge her dead lover." He shook Cameron's still-limp body. "Your ambitions would destroy this city."

"What about" Cameron gasped for breath under Daedulus's hand, "you? Who would YOU side with, Daedalus?"

Daedulus's features fell in on themselves. "The Nosferatu serve no master. But I would serve my Prince." He dropped Cameron and stood over the prone Brujah. "And you will never be Prince while I am Primogen." He spun on his heel and continued down the hallway. 

Cameron pushed himself to his knees to follow the retreating vampire, but Daedalus was too fast for him. At the end of the hallway, a door slammed. Daedalus was gone, totally and irrevocably. Cameron felt his fists clench.

Stupid. Stubborn. Officious bastard. He looked away from the door. Should have known Daedalus was Julian's pet from the beginning. Stupid me. He rose to his feet gracelessly and brushed himself off. It would be best to be gone before Julian's bodyguards came to see about the disturbance. Glancing again at the door, he spat a gobbet of blood in the direction Daedalus had fled. Well, screw him. Screw the lot of them. Body still tight with rage, he stalked around the corner, towards the outside world.

Endnote: Thanks to Soledad for the support (and, eh heh, spelling corrections).


	4. Fear is Not the End

Author's Note: The fourth and final part of the series starting with "Not to be Great." But don't worry, I'm not going away. It's too much fun to torture Cameron. Be expecting a new series, in this universe. Soon. (Soon being relative It'll be here before the continents crash together again. Definetely.)

Summary: Cameron and Daedalus meet again after the argument. 

Rating: PG/PG-13 SLASH

Disclaimer: Not mine. Whimper, whimper. Whine, whine. 

Fear is Not the End

Cameron was halfway to the pier when he sensed the familiar presence trailing behind him. It was a dismal day, even by the standards of San Francisco. The sky was dark gray, scowling with the promise of rain. To his left, the waves rolled, even blacker than the sky. A brisk wind whipped them into their massive peaks, even as it cut through his light jacket and slacks. 

That was perfectly fine with Cameron. The nasty weather drove people back into their houses, leaving him alone on the beach. He had been stalking down the beach, thinking, in perfect solitude. Until now. Footsteps crunched vaguely in the distance. At the edge of his hearing, he could make out the faint rustle of a cloak. More reliably, his sensitive nose could pick up the scent, a pungent mixture of paint and herbs, that tinged the sea air. There was little doubt in his mind as to where the odor originated.

He continued to pick his way down the shoreline, ignoring his companion. It wasn't that he wanted to send the other packing with his silence. Cameron had known Daedalus too long to believe in that particular tactic. Rather, he was just so tired, he wasn't up to acknowledging the Nosferatu's presence. Experience had also taught him that Daedalus wouldn't make the first move. He'd follow Cameron into eternity, stalking him more closely than the Brujah's own shadow, but he'd never force an encounter, a fact for which, right now, Cameron was extremely grateful.

They walked across the damp sand in silence. Daedalus never came closer, but neither did he fall behind. Cameron plodded steadily forward, shoulder hunched against the wind. The pier rose up in front of him like a monolith in the distance. Years of exposure had bleached the wood a sickly gray. Barnacles and seaweed clustered around the bottoms of its pillars. Aside from them, the only creatures occupying the pier were a bent figure with a fishing rod and a seagull, plump with many discarded lunches. Neither seemed to care about the two ragged figures closing in on their perch.

For some reason, their presence made Cameron feel even more alone. He was- obscurely, confusingly, desperately- glad that Daedalus was out here as well. There was something comforting in his silent presence. Unintentionally, he took a deep breath of the chill air, trying to distill more of the other vampire's scent. His ears cocked of their own accord to pick up the creak of his boots. 

As they crested a slight rise, Cameron abruptly whirled around. A few steps behind him stood Daedalus, characteristic blank expression firmly in place. With a sigh, Cameron plopped down onto the gritty sand beneath him. Having seen Daedalus, he couldn't pretend he didn't exist anymore. For a moment, Daedalus froze in place, dark even against the black waves. Cameron stared directly into the Nosferatu's eyes and shrugged. Join me or don't, his expression said, it doesn't matter to me. 

Daedalus gave him a slight nod and approached the sitting Brujah. In a rustle of fabric, he had seated himself beside Cameron. Together, they stared out over the ocean. Cameron could feel the tension bleeding out of his shoulder. Even the damp soaking into his slacks didn't dispel the strange feeling of peace that came over him. Beside him, Daedalus exhaled slightly. He tipped his bare head back to look at the sky above them. Cameron did the same. The clouds were too thick for him to see the stars. Even the moon only lent a faint glow to air around it.

"All seems kinda pointless out here, don't it?" Cameron let the words slip from his lips. He hated to break the spell, but he had to inject reality back into the proceeding. Better to do the inevitable banishment now than later, when the loss would hurt more.

Daedalus turned his head slowly to look at the Brujah. His eyes, usually so sharp, were unfocused. "No, never pointless " a small smile appeared on his face, "but forgettable at least for a time." 

His words shocked Cameron fully back into reality. As much as he wanted to, his eyes traced Daedulus's cloaked form, he couldn't allow himself to forget the way things. Not even for a short time. Because if he allowed himself to this one time, he shook his head, he might never want to remember. He turned away from his companion. He couldn't forget his grudge with Luna, not for anyone. To do so would be to betray everyone the Ventrue Prince had killed at Manzanita, and they didn't deserve that. He drew up his knees and buried his head in his arms. Some of the awareness came back into Daedulus's eyes at his action. One thin brow arched over his wrinkled forehead. Still, he kept the peace, content to simply observe Cameron.

Finally, under the weight of unmitigated attention, Cameron turned back around. His eyes traced the ground near his feet.

"What are you afraid of?" Despite Daedulus's gentle tone, Cameron's head shot up.

"I'm not afraid of anything." His tone was defensive. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "This isn't gonna work."

"This?"

Cameron opened his eyes and rubbed his left temple. "This. You know." He made a universal gesture. "Us."

Daedalus cocked his head. On his face, curiosity warred with some other, more complex emotion. "What is there about "us"?"

Cameron's stomach lurched. In the same instant, he realized his own feelings and encountered the doubt that Daedalus might not share them. His disgust at his own weakness and stupidity laced the already volatile combination of emotions. It was a sobering mixture. All of his earlier calm vanished.

"Us we", he cast about for an appropriate word, waving his hands absently. "I don't think we can be friends."

The Nosferatu chuckled. "No, I don't think we will ever be friends." His lips cocked up in a tiny grin. "But right now, we are very close enemies." 

Cameron studied him closely. He knew what Daedalus had said, but he wanted to be sure he got the right interpretation. What it sounded like- to be perfectly honest- was a come-on. In fact, he hoped, despite himself, that it was. But, if it wasn't, then Cameron didn't want to make expose himself in that way. He would have to tread carefully.

"They say you should hold your friends close and your enemies closer" He kept his tone carefully light.

"That is not so difficult. I have few friends. Julian is quite taken with the lovely Caitlin and Cash," he made a face of mock disgust," is not someone I would want to hold too tightly to my body. He has a distinct odor." The Nosferatu wrinkled his nose.

His comical expression was too much. Cameron laughed. Cash had a thing for cheap, musky, aftershave. He splashed it liberally all over his body. To the vampiric nose, it ranked somewhere in between rotting food and room spray. Even Sasha complained about it sometimes. Usually in high pitched, loud, tone of voice.

"That's no odor. That's a bloody legal dependent." Cameron grinned. "Good to hear that I don't have competition." 

Daedulus gave him an odd look. "I am not sure you want the prize" his voice trailed off, masked by the crashing of the waves.

"Depends on whether or not it's a good prize." Cameron struggled to keep his voice steady. It wouldn't do to give away the game now. He had to be sure before he took the leap of faith.

"Some would welcome it. Most I think," Daedalus turned his head away," would not." His shoulder slumped a little. 

To his surprise, and chagrin, Cameron felt his throat tighten at the Nosferatu's dejection. His emotion overcame his good sense. Before he could think about he, he had his arm around Daedalus's shoulders. Under the cloak, the Nosferatu was solid and muscular. A slight heat radiated from him. 

"In that case, it's a good thing that Brujah tend to be a little different than most." 

Daedalus turned to look at him. His face was tight until he glimpsed Cameron's expression. Then the tension slowly faded away. Most of the wrinkles disappeared and a smile twitched on the edges of his lips. "Different, Cameron, does not begin to describe it." And with that, he leaned in and laid his lips against Cameron's.

The Brujah started at the sudden contact, but then eased into the kiss. You're crazy, he berated himself. It'll never work. You're just setting yourself up for he smacked himself mentally. Because right now, in the moon light, holding Daedalus in his arms, it just didn't seem to matter.

Rori watched the Primogens embrace. Cash had been right. There was something up with those two. As quietly as possible, he stowed his rod in it's leather case. Then, he stood gracefully, movements honed by vampiric blood and martial arts training. On silent feet, he glided off the peir, back towards the Prince's manner. It had been an interesting evening. His Primogen would think so too. And so would Prince Julian. Knowing that his most trusted advisor was even now clenched in a lip lock with his most hate enemy would interest the Prince very much indeed.

Finis


End file.
